The Key
by Shamangirl1
Summary: Yoh and his friends are teleported to an alternate dimension. There Yuko Ichihara tells them that in order to save all the worlds, they must find the "x-blade." Rated T for violence
1. Into the Portal

_Chapter 1_

They were all sitting on the riverbank. It had been 3 weeks since the Shaman Fight was cancelled, and with no sign that it was starting again anytime soon, everyone was using their time for rest, relaxation, and training. But today, they were all gathered in Funbari Hill.

Almost everyone was there: Yoh, Manta, Ryu, Faust, Ren and Horo Horo (who were both currently arguing with each other), and Lyserg. Chocolove was late.

As everyone was relaxing, they suddenly heard a strange noise. Yoh (who had been half-napping), sat up, and looked to where it was coming from.

What had been nothing but thin air suddenly rippled, twisted, and became some sort of transparent mass, with an occasional sliver of shimmering color. It was about six feet high, and extended all the way to the ground.

Everyone silently watched as the thing formed. Yoh stood up, and began walking over to this strange phenomenon, but Horo Horo grabbed him.

"Are you _insane_?" He said. "We don't know what that is! And you're just gonna walk right up to it?"

"Well…yeah, actually." Yoh said. Horo Horo slapped his forehead. "Ugh, I give up!"

"So what do you suppose we do?" Lyserg asked. "Should we just leave it alone?"

"Hmph. It doesn't seem to be dangerous, but we should still be cautious -" He looked over to see that Yoh was standing less that a yard from the thing - "_and you walk right up to it anyway!_"

Yoh turned to him. "Heheheh. It's alright. It doesn't look dangerous, so - " Strange tentacle-like things came out of the strange thing and wrapped themselves around Yoh. Before anyone could react, he was pulled in.

"_YOH!_" Everyone - including Manta - immediately leaped into the thing after him, but before Ryu and Faust could make it through, it abruptly vanished, with no trace of it or their friends.

"What? What'd I miss?" Chocolove asked, running up to them.

Ryu turned to face him. "Well…."

Manta was experiencing the disorienting feeling of falling, yet standing, at the same time. He didn't know where the others were; it was dark, and yet so full of light and color at the same time, and he just couldn't concentrate on anything.

A few times he thought he saw something, only to lose sight of it within seconds. He had no idea how long he'd been in this strange place, but he did know one thing: He was moving forward.

If he'd had the time to concentrate, he would have realized that, though he was moving, he hadn't taken a single step since entering what he now realized to be a portal of some kind.

Then, all of a sudden, he was out. But not just out; he was standing on the ground. Or, more specifically, in someone's backyard. Manta blinked, and looked around. He saw, to his right, someone familiar.

"Yoh!" Manta shouted, relieved. Yoh turned, and waved. Soon, the others were there as well. Manta noticed, rather disturbed, that he never saw any of them show up; they were just suddenly there.

"I see you all made it in one piece," a voice said.

Everyone turned to see a woman standing directly in front of them. She wore a long black dress, with long sleeves and a black headdress with white strips of cloth dangling on each side, with half-moons adorning the ends. Her hair was long and black, and, Manta noticed, reached all the way to her knees. Standing on the porch of the house behind her was a boy, wearing an apron and a bandana over black hair and what looked like a school uniform, glasses, and different colored eyes: one purplish and one gold.

"So you brought us here, then?" Manta turned to see Ren glaring at the strange woman.

"I only sent the portal. You all chose to enter." The woman's face was serious, but Manta could see amusement in her eyes.

"What do you mean 'chose'?" Horo Horo asked, crossing his arms.

"I mean, you all entered of your own volition." The woman answered, now smiling slightly, like she was explaining something to a small child.

"Technically," Manta said, "Yoh-kun didn't. The portal pulled him in."

"Asakura Yoh unintentionally touched the portal, and so it pulled him into it." Now the woman was crossing her own arms, clearly waiting for someone to question this; she didn't have to wait long.

"So then he didn't choose to come." Lyserg said.

"If you look at it that way, then yes." The woman said mysteriously.

"What kind of an answer is that?" An irritated Horo Horo demanded. "And anyway, who are you?"

"And how do you know my name?" Yoh asked, surprisingly calm compared to the tension around him.

"In order: My name is Yuko Ichihara, and I am the Dimension Witch." Yuko said, then turned to Yoh. "I know all of your names, Yoh-kun, because I have watched all of you for a long time, and I think you are all up to the task I have for you."

"What do you mean?" Ren said, his tone betraying his annoyance. "'Watching us'? How?"

"I have my ways." Yuko said, her eyes glittering in what Manta concluded could only be mischief.

"What do you want us to do?" Yoh asked, obviously hoping to change the subject.

Yuko turned to him, and she became serious again. "I will tell you, but first, you should relax. Watanuki," She turned to the boy on the porch behind her, "please prepare dinner for our honored guests."

"But Yuko-san! I only bought enough ingredients for the five of us!" The boy, Watanuki, said, looking frazzled. On either side of him were two twin girls, one with pink hair and one with blue. And then, on Watanuki's shoulder, there was…

"Mokona will go shopping with Watanuki!" The black ball thing on Watanuki's shoulder shouted. It began jumping up and down, singing "Shopping! Shopping! Shopping in the spring time~!"

"It's summer, Mokona." An annoyed Watanuki said, raising an eyebrow at Mokona. He turned back to Yuko, and saw that their "honored guests" were staring at him with their eyes wide and their mouths open. Even the boy with the pointy hair looked surprised.

"Allow me to introduce my servant, Watanuki; my assistants, Maru and Moro; and my inter-dimensional liaison, Mokona Modoki." Yuko said, gesturing to each as she introduced them.

"What do you mean _servant_? More like forced labor!" Watanuki shouted, fuming.

"As you can see," Yuko went on, ignoring him, "Watanuki also provides 'round the clock entertainment."

"WHAT!" Watanuki shrieked, practically falling over. Immediately the girls, Maru and Moro, began dancing around Watanuki with Mokona, singing "Enter~tainment~!"

Meanwhile, Yoh, Manta and everyone else were still standing there, staring at this strange spectacle. None of them moved, and since they weren't sure what to say, no one spoke.

Yuko smirked at their expressions, then turned to the girls. "Maru! Moro!"

"Yes, mistress?" They answered simultaneously.

"Prepare a place for our guests to sit and rest while Watanuki shops. And make some tea, please."

"Yes, mistress!" The girls immediately went into the house to obey. Yuko turned back to the boys. "If you will follow me, I will take you inside. The girls should be done with the room by the time we get there."

"Wait a second! You haven't answered our questions yet!" Horo Horo snapped. Sounds of agreement echoed around him.

"I will answer them in time. Come, you will be less irritable when you have rest and nourishment." And with that, Yuko began guiding them inside.


	2. Discussion

_I am SO VERY SORRY to anyone who is reading this story about how long it took me to do this chapter. I've just had such a busy summer, that I just didn't have the time. I was going to do it when I got back from my trip to Pennsylvania, but Hurricane (or Tropical Storm or whatever) Irene hit us and we lost power for about 14 hours, so I couldn't finish. But anyway, I hope you enjoy! _

_I don't own anything!_

_Chapter 2_

They were all sitting in a sort of living room. The tea was on a small table by the wall, and everyone was seated in what seemed to be a random collection of chairs and couches. And, seated on a lavish golden chair, was Yuko Ichihara.

Manta was seated on one couch between Yoh and Horo Horo. Nervously, he looked around at the others, who were waiting for the Dimension Witch to give some sort of explanation as to what exactly they were doing here. Manta glanced at Yuko, and realized that she probably wouldn't tell them anything until she deemed it was time.

A sound to his right drew his attention to Yoh, who stretched, and leaned back on the couch. Manta sighed; he should've known Yoh would be so relaxed.

Manta looked across from him, at where Ren and Lyserg were sitting in chairs. They looked tense. Manta didn't blame them; the silence was beginning to get to them all.

A polite cough from the rear of the room drew everyone's attention. Watanuki was standing in the doorway, nervous under the gazes of so many. He cleared his throat again, and said "Dinner is ready."

Everyone looked at Yuko, who simply nodded and stood up. She began walking toward the door, until Ren stood up and blocked her way.

"You've kept us waiting long enough. What is it you want with us, how do you know who we are, and why the hell should we even listen to you?" Ren demanded. Yuko listened calmly, and then slowly approached Ren. She reached out..

…and patted him on top of his head.

Manta's jaw dropped. Everyone else stared with their own shocked expressions. Ren seemed to be the most shocked, with wide eyes and an expression that suggested that it was sheer willpower that kept his own jaw from dropping. He looked up at Yuko, who was smiling and patting him like he was some sort of dog. Yuko stopped patting his head, and walked past him as if nothing had happened. Ren whirled in her direction, obviously intending to say something, and everyone could see the slight blush on his cheeks. Yuko simply walked out of the room, and gestured to Watanuki to guide the others to the dining room.

Manta looked around the table as he and everyone else ate. The food was delicious, and many of those at the large Japanese-style table said as much. He watched as Yoh and Horo Horo helped themselves to seconds, while Lyserg ate with the polite manners of someone who didn't want to seem rude. Manta glanced at Ren, who ate in a manner indicating he was eating only to please everyone else. Manta couldn't help smiling a bit. This was the craziest dinner he'd ever had.

Yoh noticed Manta watching everything, and smiled. He'd been worried about how Manta would deal with this sudden adventure. Yoh's smile faded as he realized that this adventure might not be over yet. _Maybe I should ask Yuko to send him home_…

Ren sat stiffly as he ate, the only indication of how annoyed he was. Who did that woman think she was, walking up and patting him on the head, as if he were some _kid…_ he noticed Yoh's usual carefree smile fade into a thoughtful frown. Ren's eyes narrowed. Occasionally, it didn't take much to know what Yoh was thinking. He glanced at Manta, and frowned as well. Things were getting more complicated by the minute…

Watanuki stood in a corner, took in the sight before him, and sighed quietly. He didn't understand what was happening, but he knew it had to be serious. In all the time he'd worked in the shop, this was the first dinner he'd ever attended where Yuko didn't immediately demand some kind of alcohol.

_I'm not sure what to think of that_, he thought, frowning suddenly. _For things to be so bad that Yuko-san is sober for an entire day, things must be pretty bad_…

As everyone finished eating, Yuko stood, clapped her hands once, and then looked at each one of her guests in turn.

"Alright then, now that I have your attention," she sat down again, " Who would like to start?"

_Have our attention? _Horo Horo thought irritably. _That was the quietest dinner I've ever been to_.

"Why are we here?" Lyserg asked bluntly.

Yuko looked directly at him, meeting his eyes. "All of the worlds are going to fall into darkness, and collapse on themselves. All creation will end in one terrible apocalypse."


	3. The Mission

_To make it up to all my adoring fans (hey, a girl can dream, right?) I'm posting chapter three as well! It's getting pretty intense, huh? Enjoy!_

_I don't own anything!_

_Chapter 3_

Everyone stared at her in shock and horror. Even Watanuki, who gaped at her openly. Manta stole a quick glance at Maru, Moro, and Mokona, and was surprised to see that they simply stared at Yuko, with grim expressions but little else.

Yuko took in all of their expressions, and nodded. "That will happen, unless you all stop it."

"Tch! Always a catch, isn't there?" Horo Horo said, but although his voice was heavy with sarcasm, there was no humor in it. Manta looked back at him; despite his careless attitude, he was sitting straight, and his eyes were fixed directly on the Dimension Witch.

Yuko looked at Horo Horo, and then closed her eyes. "There is a weapon which, if created, will unleash this darkness. The task I must give you is to make sure that, no matter what, this weapon will not be created."

"…Weapon?" Manta asked.

"The _X_-blade."

Everyone was silent. Finally, Lyserg spoke up. "_Key_blade?"

Yuko nodded. "Also pronounced Kye-blade, but they refer to the same thing. And yes, ridiculous as it may sound, it really does resemble a key."

"How do you know?" Ren asked suspiciously.

"I've read about it…and I saw it once, long ago…" Yuko's gaze became vague, looking at something only she could see. After a moment, she snapped out of it. "Anyway," she went on, 'you must stop it from being created, and you must also stop whoever it is who is attempting to create it. The fate of all existence is at stake."

"How is it that whenever the world's in trouble, _we're_ always the ones who have to save it?" Horo Horo said, leaning his elbows on the table. Lyserg scowled at him until he sat back up.

"It is _hitsuzen_, or fate," Yuko explained. "You were all chosen for this mission long before you were born. Think of your prior experiences as a sort of training."

"You call beating Hao _TRAINING?_ Man, this is gonna suck." Horo Horo said disgustedly.

Yuko sighed. "Look, I know this is all a bit sudden, but you must understand: if this mystery person creates the _X_-blade, every single world will fall into darkness, and every single person, animal, and plant will die."

"Why would anyone do that?" Manta asked, unable to resist.

"There are those who believe that in the midst of this darkness, a divine light will be born, and all that was destroyed will be recreated." Yuko answered. "I honestly don't know if all that is true, but I don't think finding out is worth the risk."

"So you brought us here to stop it." Ren said. Yuko nodded.

"Why don't you fix all this yourself, since you know so much?" Lyserg demanded.

Yuko sighed, and suddenly looked very tired. "Because, put simply, I'm not strong enough. I've tried; Please believe me when I say that. But whoever is planning this catastrophe is doing a very good job at thwarting me." She shook her head. "No, I can't do it. But you can. And I assure you, I will do everything I can to help you."

They all sat in silence for awhile. Watanuki's mind was reeling, but not just from what Yuko said. He'd never seen her so desperate, and it scared him. In all the time they'd known each other, Yuko was always the calm one; the one with all the answers, and the one who usually came to his rescue when bad things became worse. Now, here she was, practically begging for the help of a few kids….

Finally, Yoh stood up. He turned to Yuko, and said "Well, I can't speak for my friends, but I want to help."

Horo Horo heaved a long, loud sigh. "Never a dull moment in this group…" Ren and Lyserg simply nodded.

"But," Everyone looked up at Yoh, who was suddenly quite serious. "But," he began again, " I need you to do something first."

"What?" Yuko asked, curious.

"I need you to send Manta home."


	4. The Night Before

I'm going to be uploading these chapters probably sometime soon after I finish them, so the times will be kind of inconsistent. Anyway, I hope you're all enjoying this! Lol everyone's talking about Ren in this chapter. I hope that I'm keeping everyone in character, and if I'm not, well it's my story, so….. I don't own anything!

_Chapter 4_

"I need you to send Manta home."

Everyone was silent. Manta stared at Yoh.

"What?" he finally said.

Yoh turned to him. "This will get dangerous. You could get hurt. Besides, someone should tell everyone back home what's going on."

Manta shook his head, and stood up. "No. I'm not going back. I'm staying with you!"

"Listen to reason, Manta-kun," Lyserg said. "You're not a shaman, and there will probably be times when none of us will be able to protect you."

"Yeah," Horo Horo chimed in. "Do you really want to go into such a dangerous situation-"

"Let him stay."

Everyone stopped and stared at Ren, who sat with his arms crossed. Even Manta was surprised.

"Huh?" Horo Horo said, a blank expression on his face.

"Too stupid to understand?" Ren snapped. "Fine then. Let. Him. Stay. How was that?"

Horo Horo scowled, and prepared to say something equally insulting, but Lyserg cut in. "Why?"

"Because," Yuko said. "It doesn't matter what any of you think. I have no intention of sending Manta-kun home."

Yoh turned to her. "Why?" he asked.

"Because," she said carefully. "When I said that you all were chosen for this long before you were born, I meant _all_ of you. Not just the ones who can fight. Manta-kun will have his own job on this mission, and that will be to stay in communication with me. Which means that he will indirectly have to make sure you all stay together. He's too valuable to send back."

Yoh just stood there. Finally, he shrugged, and sat back down. Manta sat down as well, thinking about what just happened. He understood that Yoh was just trying to keep him safe, but it hurt to think that he had so little faith in him. Manta glanced at Ren, wondering why he had spoken up for him, but he just sat there like nothing at all had just happened.

Everyone sat in silence for a few minutes, thinking about all they had learned in just the past few minutes. Finally Yuko stood up, and gestured to Watanuki. "Please call the inn at the end of the block, and ask for rooms for tonight. The owner owes me a favor."

Watanuki obeyed, trying not to think too much on how many "favors" the people in this town owed Yuko.

Yoh and Manta were lying on their beds, in the hotel room they were sharing, both lost in their own thoughts. Manta was still thinking about what the Dimension Witch had said; that he had an important job on this mission. Manta frowned. He wanted to be with Yoh and the others, but he was worried about having so many people relying on him. What if he failed, and the _X_-blade was created? What if all the worlds ended because of him?

Yoh stared at the ceiling. He hadn't wanted to hurt Manta's feelings when he asked Yuko to send him home. He was just worried Manta could get hurt. Yoh frowned as he replayed the conversation in his head. He was curious about why Ren had said to let Manta stay with them; he tended to stay quiet in those kinds of conversations. Yoh turned to look out the window. He wasn't particularly upset about being argued with; he wasn't about to tell his friends what to do, or what to think. But no one had said much to each other since they left Yuko's shop other than "Goodnight." Yoh sighed, and sat up. He hated arguing, and this awkward silence between him and Manta was driving him crazy. Yoh turned, and saw that Manta had also sat up. They looked at each other for a moment, and then-

"Listen, Yoh-kun-"

"Look, Manta-"

They blinked at each other, and then started laughing. The tension in the room evaporated. Finally, they both calmed down enough to speak again.

"Manta, I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings when I said that I wanted you sent home. It's just-"

"Yeah, I get it," Manta interrupted. "You were just worried about me. But I want to be there for you guys, and do whatever I can to help."

Yoh smiled. "Alright, but be careful out there. We don't know what's going to happen."

Manta smiled back, and nodded. "Then I guess we'd better get some sleep, right?"

"Yeah. 'Night, Manta."

"Goodnight, Yoh-kun."

Lyserg and Horo Horo were in the room across from Yoh and Manta. Horo Horo was lying on his bed, trying to muster the energy to turn off the lamp standing between the two beds. It had been a long day. He was beginning to consider just rolling over and going to sleep with it on when Lyserg, who was looking out the window, turned to him.

"I wonder why Ren-kun wanted Manta-kun to stay with us, when it's so clearly going to be very dangerous from here on out."

"Ah, who knows." Horo Horo said, rolling over to face him. "Ren is Ren, and the day anyone understands him is the day pigs fly."

Lyserg just looked at him, and then went over to his bed, pausing only to turn out the lamp. "Goodnight, Horo Horo-kun."

"Yeah, goodnight."

Ren sat alone in the only other available room, just down the hall from everyone. He knew he ought to go to sleep, but he was too busy trying to sort out what had gone on that day. _"All of the worlds are going to fall into darkness, and collapse on themselves. All creation will end in one terrible apocalypse." _He wasn't sure how one key-shaped weapon could bring about so much destruction. He still didn't quite believe it; Yuko had shown them no evidence to prove how dangerous it was. Still, they couldn't just walk away from something like this….

Bason suddenly appeared in front of him. "Bocchama, may I ask why you said Manta-sama should stay earlier?"

Ren simply looked at him for a moment, then sighed. "For almost as long as I've known Yoh, Manta was always right beside him. Even in the final battle with Hao, he was right there. It just didn't seem fair that he should go home after all of that."

"I see," Bason said. "You should really get some sleep, Bocchama."

"Yes, I probably should."

But it was still some time before he finally did go to sleep.


	5. Journey To The Unknown

_Here's chapter 5! Man, I can't wait till I get all these boring parts out of the way! Then the real fun can start! Oh and I'm sorry if Watanuki's story is a little off, I haven't read volume 1 in awhile *I have up to 16*. I don't own anything!_

_Chapter 5_

The next morning, everyone was gathered out in Yuko's backyard, more or less where they had first appeared. It was still early; they had worried about someone witnessing their departure, despite Yuko's assurances that no one could see her shop unless they needed to. Manta had wanted to ask her what she meant, since no one had gotten around to asking or telling just what Yuko sold at this shop, but he'd decided it could wait.

Manta was seated on the ground next to Yoh, who was lying on his back, watching the sky. Horo Horo was sitting on the porch; occasionally his head would drop down, only to snap back up when he realized he was dozing. Lyserg sat patiently in a chair nearby, thinking to himself. Ren leaned against the fence, eyes closed and pointedly ignoring everyone. Manta checked his watch, and frowned.

"I guess time moves differently in all the worlds." He said, to no one in particular.

"Huh?" Yoh asked, looking at him. Everyone else turned to him, curious.

"Well, my watch says that it's 3:30 a.m. But when we got here, the clock in Yuko-san's shop said that it was 7:30 a.m."

Everyone just looked at him for a moment. "Aw, man. How did we miss that?" Horo Horo said. "When we left Funbari Hill, it was just past lunch time-"

"- but when we got here, it was dinner time." Ren finished.

The atmosphere around the group suddenly became glum.

"With how chaotic yesterday was, is it really that surprising that we didn't notice?" Yoh asked them. He was trying to make them feel better, since he didn't think going into a dangerous situation in such a dejected mood would be a good idea. "It's alright that we missed a little thing like that."

"But what if it hadn't been a little thing, Yoh-kun?" Lyserg asked quietly. "What if it had been something important? We let our guard down, and in the kind of situation we're about to go into, that could be dangerous."

"You shouldn't worry about things like that." a voice behind them said.

They all turned around to look at Watanuki, who was standing behind Horo Horo. Unlike the day before, Watanuki was dressed in a simple white button shirt and black pants. He looked down at Horo Horo, who moved over to make room. Watanuki sat down beside him.

"Um, sorry about intruding on your conversation," he said. "But I think that if you just think about negative things, or 'what ifs,' then you won't get anything done."

"I agree with you." Yoh said. "It's bad for you if you only think about stuff like that."

"It's Watanuki-kun, right?" Manta asked. When Watanuki nodded, he went on. "A few minutes ago I realized that this is Yuko-san's shop, but we don't know what she sells. Would you mind telling us?"

"Oh, that. She grants wishes." Watanuki said, with a slight shrug.

Everyone just stared at him. Taking in their expressions, Watanuki decided to continue. "People who come to this shop have a wish, whether they know it or not. Yuko-san will grant that wish, but only if that person can pay a price equal to the value of that wish. Like, this one time, a woman walked in saying that she couldn't move her little finger. Yuko-san gave her a ring to wear, and told her to never take it off. But, a couple days later, she took it off anyway. I saw her take it off, but I don't know why. Yuko-san said that the moment she took it off, she wouldn't have been able to move the rest of her body, either. Well, she had been standing in the road, and right after she took the ring off, a truck…"

Watanuki trailed off, his face grim. Finally, Ren asked "What made her finger, and eventually her body, stop moving?"

"She was a chronic liar." Watanuki said. "Yuko-san said that her lying caused a dark energy to form. I could see the energy, and it made me feel sick when she was around."

"How did it make you feel sick?" Horo Horo asked.

"Watanuki can see spirits." Yuko said, coming from behind Watanuki. She stepped around him and Horo Horo, and went to stand in the middle of the semi-circle they had formed. "He has a special bloodline that makes him see them. But they are also attracted to him, and occasionally he gets attacked by them. It's this sensitivity to the supernatural that made him feel sick around that woman. It's also this sensitivity that drove him to my shop, where he works to pay off the debt of his wish."

"Which is…?" Lyserg asked.

"To not see spirits." Watanuki said.

The shamans and Manta stared at him in shock. Yuko smiled grimly at them.

"The spirits in this world are different than those in yours, though not by much. This world has no shamans, no Shaman King. We have mediums, and psychics, but not the kind you all probably have. Watanuki made the decision long before he came here that if he ever had the chance to be normal, he would take it." She waited a moment for them to absorb this. "Now, are you all ready to set off?"

They all stood up, and followed Yuko to exactly the middle of the yard. There she summoned another portal. "I'm sending you to a world that is aware of this crisis. There an old friend of mine will give you anything else you might need, that he can offer. Good luck to you all, and may you succeed in your mission."

The group stepped one by one into the portal. When they were gone, it closed. Watanuki went to stand beside Yuko. "Do you think they'll succeed?"

She turned to him. "They have to."


	6. The Land Of Departure

_I AM SO SORRY HOW LATE THIS IS! But man, with school and me getting the Welcome Back To School plague, I completely forgot about it! Plus when I was like, halfway done with this, I got stuck._

_I don't own anything!_

_Chapter 6_

When everyone stepped out of the portal, they were stunned briefly by the sight before them: standing with their backs to a beautiful castle, they stared out over mountains so tall that clouds gathered around them at the base. The two tallest ones had giant gold rings adorning their tops, and a beautiful golden sun reflected its light off them. All in all, it was the most idyllic view any of them had ever seen.

Manta blinked, and finally turned toward the castle behind them. His attention was immediately drawn to the man standing just a few feet behind them, watching silently as they took in their magnificent surroundings. The man's hair was dark, and just beginning to turn a silvery-gray, and he wore a white robe over what was clearly a battle uniform. He had a moustache and goatee, and a scar on his right cheek. The man noticed Manta looking at him, and smiled slightly. Then he looked at the others, and cleared his throat loudly. The boys all jumped slightly, and turned around.

"Ah, yes," he said. "I take it you are the young men Miss Yuko told me to expect?" When they nodded, he went on. "Well then, come with me. We have much to discuss, and I fear there is very little time to be wasted." And with that, he turned and walked through the entrance to the castle. After a moment's hesitation, the boys followed.

* * *

><p>They were in a large room, with a window on the back wall letting the golden sunlight in. The boys all stood in front of the man, who sat on one of three extravagant thrones. He closed his eyes, clearly deciding how to start. After a few minutes, though, the ominous silence began to get on the more impatient guests' nerves.<p>

Finally, the man opened his eyes. "Why don't we start with introductions. I am Master Eraqus. I am in charge of training apprentices in maintaining the balance between light and darkness. I also teach them combat with Keyblades."

"Wait," Manta said. "Did you just say-"

"_Keyblades?_" Both Horo Horo and Ren said. They looked at each other, shocked that they'd had the same thought.

"Yes. And yes, Miss Yuko has told me that the _X_-blade will be formed if this mystery person is not stopped. But it is my firm belief that only the power of another Keyblade, as well as it's wielder, will be able to stop them. As I'm sure you've noticed," he said, smiling slightly. "Miss Yuko disagreed." He became serious again. "I mean no offense. I can sense that you are excellent fighters, and it is my wish that you will assist me in this fight."

"Tomorrow, two of my apprentices are taking a test that will determine whether or not they are ready to become Keyblade masters. If they pass, then they will also assist us."

"Now, why don't I show you to your rooms." As Master Eraqus stood up, the door behind them opened, and a man walked in. He was brown-skinned, bald, had a small goatee, and walked with a hunch. Piercing golden eyes studied the boys one by one as he passed them. He walked up to Eraqus, and shook his hand.

"Ah, Master Eraqus," he said in a gravelly voice. "It's been awhile."

"Indeed it has, old friend." Eraqus turned to the others. "May I introduce to you Master Xehanort, who is also a Keyblade Master. He also is aware of the growing darkness, and has agreed to aid us."

Xehanort turned to them, and smiled. Manta suppressed a shudder. Maybe it was his eyes, but that smile didn't look friendly at all…

"Master Xehanort," Eraqus continued. "May I present the warriors Miss Yuko, the Dimension Witch, has sent us?"

"A pleasure, I'm sure." Master Xehanort said, inclining his head slightly. The boys bowed slightly in reply.

"Ah, and now, I'll show you to your rooms. Dinner will be in two hours. Feel free to rest and relax as you please, and we will all convene here tomorrow morning for the test."

And with that, Master Eraqus showed them out, and into separate rooms in a clearly empty hall. As they left, Master Xehanort watched them go, sharp golden eyes never leaving them until the door closed.


	7. Apprentices

_Hey everybody! Here's Chapter 7! Enjoy! Merry Christmas / Happy Hanukkah / Happy _

_Kwanzaa / Happy Ramadan / Happy Winter Solstice! …and uh, whatever atheists celebrate…happy that…._

_Sorry if the beginning sounds a little weird, but Ren strikes me as the kind of person that would be paranoid enough to memorize a room. And again, I hope I kept them all in character._

_And no, I don't think I went overboard with Aqua. For those of you who have played / watched KH:BBS, you've all seen how polite Aqua is. Her perkiness….hmmmm…maybe…_

_I don't own anything!_

_Chapter 7_

Ren was the last one to be shown to a room. When Master Eraqus left, he took a moment to store his weapons and explore his room. When he was satisfied he knew every inch of it, he opened his door. Yoh was standing by his own door across the hall, wearing his usual carefree smile.

"Hehe, looks like we had the same idea." He said as Ren walked out.

"Should we get everyone else?" Was Ren's reply, and he looked up the hall at the other doors. "Yuko did want us to stay together."

"We can see if they want to, but I think we can just do our own thing for awhile." Yoh said, hands behind his head.

"Hmph." And with that, Yoh and Ren walked down the corridor, intent on exploring.

* * *

><p>Manta was sitting on his bed, unsure what to do. Finally, he stepped down (Master Eraqus had kindly put a small set of steps by his bed for him to get on and off it more easily) and walked out into the hall. Lyserg and Horo Horo were out there already, Horo Horo grumbling about something.<p>

"What's wrong?" Manta asked as he walked up to them.

"It would seem Yoh-kun and Ren-kun went exploring without us." Lyserg answered.

Manta frowned. "But I thought Yuko-san wanted us to stay together-"

"EXACTLY!" Horo Horo shouted. "She wants us to stay together, and then they just go off without us!" Horo Horo punched the wall. "We still don't know what's going on here! Something could happen to them! We should -"

"Hello?" came a voice in front of them.

All three of them looked up to see a young woman walking toward them. She had blue hair, with eyes the same color, and she wore a battle outfit similar to Master Eraqus', though clearly newer and more appropriate for her feminine form. At the waist was attached a skirt of sorts, spreading out behind her and ending at the middle of her calves. She stopped in front of them, and smiled warmly.

"Hello! You must be the special guests Master Eraqus was expecting. But weren't there five of you?" She asked. "Oh, forgive me! Where are my manners? I'm Aqua. I'm one of the apprentices here who's taking the test tomorrow." She held out her hand, and the three boys shook it, introducing themselves as they did. When she turned to Horo Horo, she blinked as he shook her hand. Horo Horo frowned, confused, and Aqua giggled.

"Excuse me for saying it, but….you and I match!" She said, holding out a lock of her hair. Horo Horo blinked, and blushed slightly when Manta and Lyserg started chuckling.

"Well, sorry for bothering you all like this, but Master Eraqus asked me to see if you needed anything." Aqua said, and Manta noticed that she always seemed to have a polite smile on her lips.

"We're fine for the moment, thank you." Lyserg replied. "Actually, two of us have gone to explore the castle, and we were just going to catch up to them."

"Oh, well then I'll just be on my way. I have some training to do anyway." Aqua said and, as she turned to go, said over her shoulder "Well, see you all at dinner!"

As Aqua walked away, Manta glanced at Horo Horo, who was watching her with a strange look on his face. "Horo Horo-kun, what's wrong?"

"Huh? Oh, nothing."

* * *

><p>Yoh and Ren had just gotten to the top of a set of stairs they had found when they heard footsteps behind them. When they turned, they saw a boy about their age walking toward them.<p>

He had blond hair, striking blue eyes, and wore a battle outfit similar to Master Eraqus', but was more casual. He was smiling, and it was the same carefree smile Yoh always had.

He walked up to them, and said "Hi. You guys must be the guests Master Eraqus talked about. Are you lost?"

"Nope, just looking around." Yoh said, smiling back. He held out his hand. "I'm Yoh."

The boy shook his hand. "I'm Ventus. But you can call me Ven." He turned to Ren, who, after introducing himself, asked "Are you one of the apprentices here?"

"Yeah," Ventus said. "But I'm not taking the test. That would be my two best friends, Terra and Aqua. You'll see them at dinner. Um, there isn't much up here except a few empty rooms and my room. We've still got time before dinner, so I can show you around a bit, if you want."

"Sure." Yoh said. Ren simply nodded. Ventus grinned, and led them back downstairs.


	8. Sparring Session

_Hey! Sorry it's taken so long, but I've been busy. And writer's block SUCKS! Hmmmm….all these characters seem very well mannered…..ANYWAY, as you've probably noticed, my story doesn't really follow the plotline of BBS. It follows the POV of the SK boys, so it won't include a lot of the other stuff from BBS._

_I don't own anything!_

_Chapter 8_

Dinner was nothing special: steamed vegetables and a rather light tasting soup, which Manta suspected was made from edible flowers. There was plenty to go around, and as they ate the group were asked, and did their best to answer, questions by their hosts.

It was as Horo Horo was explaining the concept of a snowboard to Ventus and Aqua that Master Xehanort spoke up. "Well now," he said in his gravelly voice. "You boys seem like fine warriors. Perhaps later on you'd care to give a demonstration?"

"Now, Master Xehanort, these are our guests." Master Eraqus cut in. "They've just come a very long way to be here."

"It doesn't sound too bad," Yoh said. The others looked at him. "What kind of demonstration?"

"Oh, nothing much." Master Xehanort replied. "Perhaps a simple test of your abilities… a duel, perhaps."

"Duel?" Ren asked.

"Yes." Master Xehanort said, nodding slightly. "Just a sparring session, nothing serious. Perhaps against one of our apprentices?"

"With all due respect, Master Xehanort," The tall, brown haired boy, Terra, began. "Aqua and I would like to conserve our energy for the test tomorrow."

"Yes." Aqua agreed. "But maybe after the test?"

"Ah, but young Ventus here isn't taking the test." Master Xehanort said, gesturing toward Ven. Ven looked at him, and it was obvious he was uncomfortable. "Is something wrong, Ventus?" Master Eraqus asked.

"No," Ven replied hesitantly, looking away. "It's just…I don't want to be tired….tomorrow."

"Why don't we go up against one of you two?" Yoh asked, looking at the Keyblade masters. Master Eraqus raised his eyebrows, but Xehanort just chuckled.

"That's some nerve, boy, challenging a Master." He said. "However, it has been awhile since I've tested my Keyblade skills. I accept your offer." Master Xehanort stood up, and, looking around him at the others still seated, said, "Why don't we go out to the practice yard for this." After a moment, everyone stood up and followed Xehanort out.

* * *

><p>Gathered in the practice yard, everyone formed a loose half-ring around the two fighters. Master Xehanort held a black, odd-looking sword Yoh guessed could only be a keyblade. It didn't seem too dangerous, more like a kind of decoration. But one look at Xehanort's stance told him that he shouldn't underestimate the blade or the old man.<p>

Yoh pulled out Harusame and the Futsu no Mitama and oversouled. Both the Keyblade masters and apprentices stared at Yoh's weapon as he held it ready. Xehanort raised an eyebrow, but was otherwise unfazed. After a few seconds, Master Eraqus said, "Begin!"

Yoh went on the offensive, jumping up and bringing his sword down on Xehanort. The master batted it away, and aimed a blow at Yoh's unprotected back. Yoh spun on one foot, blocking the attack, but they were now hilt-to-hilt. They broke away, and stood a few feet from each other, staring one another down. As they began to circle each other, Yoh couldn't help but notice how easy this felt. _He's holding back_, he realized. Then Xehanort went on the offensive, and Yoh no longer had time for thinking.

They sparred like that for a while, neither gaining an advantage. Ren's eyes narrowed. Xehanort was obviously holding back, but why? All he was doing in this duel was blocking, parrying, and an occasional offensive maneuver that Yoh easily defended against. Was Xehanort feeling him out? Or just playing with him?

Xehanort brought down his keyblade, and Yoh brought up his sword to block. As he did, Xehanort suddenly changed tactics, and Yoh was suddenly lifted off his feet. He looked down, but didn't see anything that could have knocked him so far off the ground; before he had a chance to comprehend that, he hit the ground. Yoh rolled to his feet, just in time to block another blow. Yoh felt his arms give slightly as they absorbed the impact; that attack had been harder. Yoh blocked and parried attack after attack, each one of them more forceful than the last. Finally, Xehanort brought down his keyblade, and as Yoh blocked it, used his momentum to push Yoh to the ground. Yoh fell on his right arm, hard; as he attempted to get up, the keyblade was suddenly pointed at his neck. He'd lost.

Master Xehanort smirked, and suddenly the keyblade vanished; he offered a hand to Yoh, and helped him up.

"You're good, boy," he said, not even out of breath. "But not good enough to beat a Master."

"Ah, well," Yoh said, panting slightly and with a shrug. "At least it was fun." Everyone walked up, simultaneously complementing Yoh's swordsmanship and, in the keyblade wielders' case, giving him advice. Aqua, noticing how Yoh was holding his arm, gently grabbed it with one hand, and made a strange movement with the other. Immediately, the pain in his arm was gone.

"A simple cure spell." Aqua said with a smile. "Just be careful not to hurt it again."

"Speaking of spells," Master Eraqus said, addressing Master Xehanort. "Using that Wind spell could constitute as cheating, Xehanort."

_So THAT"S what happened,_ Manta thought. Yuko hadn't mentioned that keyblade wielders could use magic, but then, there were probably a lot of things she hadn't thought to tell them about.

The last of the sun's rays faded, and everyone left for their rooms. As they went, Manta saw movement out of the corner of his eye. When he looked, he thought for a moment that he saw someone, but after staring for a long moment, decided he had just imagined it. With a shrug, he ran to catch up with the others.


	9. Trials

_I suppose there's no excuse for this chapter being so late. But what can I say? I'm a college student now, so this has become more of a free time project. But I promise to work hard to upload more often. I've gotten some complaints that my chapters are too short, so I worked EXTRA hard to make this long. I hope you all enjoy!_

_I own NOTHING!_

_Chapter 9_

Breakfast the next morning was much the same as dinner, but everyone ate with the same appetite. Then they all headed back to the room where the shamans had originally met Master Xehanort, and as the shamans (and Manta) stepped off to one side of the room, Aqua and Terra stood in front of the thrones, while Ventus stood on the other side of the room.

Out of the corner of his eye, Lyserg noticed Master Xehanort and Ventus seemingly staring at each other. Ventus looked away first, looking uncomfortable. Lyserg mentally filed the scene away in his memory, intending to ask about it after the test.

Master Eraqus stepped off of the platform holding the thrones, and Ventus snapped to attention, as did the other two apprentices. The shamans also straightened up, eager to see what this "test" was.

"Today," began Eraqus. ""You will be examined for the mark of mastery." The silence that met his words was filled with anticipation. "Not one, but two of the Keyblade's chosen stand here as candidates." Though neither of them reacted physically, the air around the two apprentices seemed to swell with pride. "But this is neither a competition, nor a battle for supremacy - not a test of wills, but a test of heart. Both of you may prevail, or neither. But I am sure our guests, Master Xehanort and our young friends here, did not travel all this way to see our youngest prospects in years fall short of the mark." The entire time he spoke, neither Terra nor Aqua moved, and from what Manta could see, they hardly breathed, either.

"I trust you are ready." Master Eraqus continued.

"Yes!" Both of them answered at once, their excitement evident in their voices.

Master Eraqus summoned his Keyblade, and, holding it in the ready stance said "Then let the examination begin."

Making a movement with his hand, Eraqus cast a spell, or so Manta thought, and strange bubbles of light appeared. Aqua and Terra summoned their Keyblades, and were just about to attack them, when suddenly what looked like black static electricity began pulsing through the light bubbles. Both the apprentices and Master Eraqus seemed surprised, and Manta realized that this probably wasn't part of the test.

The bubbles began floating all around the room, and as Terra and Aqua began attacking, one strayed toward Ventus.

"Ven!"

Quickly summoning his own Keyblade, Ventus sliced through the bubble easily, and with a flash of light, it dispersed.

"Don't worry about me!" Ventus shouted to his friends. "You two focus on the exam!"

Terra and Aqua were now standing back to back, surrounded by the bubbles. "But Ven," Aqua protested. "You're in danger here! Go wait in your room!" Manta felt himself grin slightly at the maternal authority in Aqua's voice; she was obviously quite protective.

"No way!" Ventus flat out refused. "I've been looking forward to this - seeing you two become Masters, I'm not gonna miss it now!" Terra only briefly glanced at Ventus and, obviously addressing Aqua, said "He can take care of himself. He's been out there training just as hard as us."

"Yeah!"

Though Aqua's back was to the shamans, Manta had a feeling that she was rolling her eyes. "Stay sharp, Ven!" she finally consented. Looking back at his group, Manta saw that they had all over-souled and were watching the bubbles.

But as all three of the apprentices attacked, they realized that it was unlikely they would have to defend themselves; within just a few minutes, all the bubbles of light were gone, and Ventus, Aqua and Terra all returned to their places in front of the thrones. "That was unexpected." Master Eraqus said, stepping down from the platform. "But one must keep a still heart even in the most trying of circumstances. It was an excellent test, one I chose to let unfold." Manta had figured as much; even if the test had gone wrong, the fact that the two Masters hadn't interfered meant that there wasn't any real danger.

"Which brings us to your next trial." Manta frowned at first, but then he realized that, though it had gone wrong, the trial was too easy, and didn't really test Terra or Aqua at all.

"Now, Terra and Aqua, the two of you will face each other in combat." The two apprentices immediately took opposite sides of the room, then approached each other slowly. "Remember, there are no winners - " Manta frowned; if there were no winners, how did they know if they passed the test? " - only truths, for when equal powers clash, their nature is revealed. Begin!" The two apprentices took ready stances, and they began their duel.

They charged at the same time, and the air echoed with the metal _clang_ of their Keyblades clashing.

Ren watched their duel with interest, and at one point, when Terra seemed to put all of his strength into a downward slash, he raised his eyebrows when Aqua back flipped away, easily avoiding it. Already they were revealing the styles of combat they prefer: Terra's basic, using attacks with brute strength, Aqua's dynamic, dancing and somersaulting away from her opponent, hoping to exhaust him, and only taking an occasional swing. Then Aqua surprised Ren by lunging full-on at Terra, and only narrowly missing him. It led him to amend his first thought, that he realized that she was more of an opportunistic fighter, only using her strength when she was sure she'd hit.

Terra jumped back, and Aqua charged. Then, more of that strange dark electricity appeared, surrounding Terra's left arm. He held it up, examining it. Then Aqua swung her Keyblade down, and the dark electricity disappeared as Terra blocked her. They fought like that for a few more minutes, then Eraqus called them back.

As they stood at attention, Master Eraqus and Master Xehanort talked quietly to each other, deliberating. Finally, they stepped off the platform, and standing in front of Terra and Aqua, Eraqus spoke.

"We have deliberated and reached a decision. Terra, Aqua, you both performed commendably. However, only Aqua has shown the Mark of Mastery." All the shamans were wide-eyed; they'd expected both the apprentices to pass.

"Terra," There was something in the way Master Eraqus spoke that made it seem both reprimanding and sympathetic. "You failed to keep the darkness within you sufficiently in check." Manta gasped; so _that's_ what the electricity was!

"But there is always next time" Eraqus continued. "That is all."

"Aqua," Master Eraqus said. "As our newest Master, you are entitled to certain knowledge. Please wait here for further instruction. You all as well, my young friends." The shamans, who had been alternating between congratulating Aqua and assuring Terra that he'd definitely pass the test next time, nodded. As Master Eraqus stepped out, the shamans moved to a different part of the room as Ventus, Terra and Aqua talked.

"Well, that was interesting." Lyserg said.

"Surprising though," Manta added. "I thought they were both gonna pass."

"No," Ren said. The others looked at him. "Aqua, true to her name, was more flexible. Nothing in either of the trials really shook her, whereas Terra was easily surprised by Aqua in their duel."

"He also lost control of his own darkness."

Then Terra and Ventus left, and Aqua and the shamans stood at the platform, waiting for Master Eraqus. When he returned, he started with formally congratulating Aqua on becoming a Keyblade Master. Then he told her about the darkness that was threatening the universe, starting with Yuko and her mysterious abilities, and ending with the shamans' arrival. Throughout the entire tale, Aqua listened intently. At times she looked surprised; when Eraqus explained what would happen should they not succeed in stopping the darkness, she gasped in horror, and immediately agreed to do whatever she could to help. Eventually Eraqus dismissed the shamans, wishing to speak with Aqua alone. Once they were out of the room, they stood together and spoke.

"Did you guys notice what I noticed?" Horo Horo said, looking around at all of them. Everyone else nodded.

"Yeah," Yoh said. "Master Eraqus didn't tell Aqua about the _X_-blade."

As the boys were talking amongst themselves, a loud bell began ringing, its sound vibrating through the boys' bones. They ran back into the trial room, to find Aqua standing at attention before the thrones, while Eraqus was facing a strange glowing light by the wall. The boys stopped in front of the throne-platform, unsure what to do. Terra came up behind them, and stood next to Aqua. "What happened?" He asked her.

"I don't know." Was her answer. She looked around at everyone. "Why isn't Ven here?"

Finally, a certain shaman's patience was at an end. With hushed shouts of "Wait a minute!" Ren strode insolently up the platform, and up to Eraqus, with a reluctant but curious Manta following behind.

Manta was startled to see that the light was actually two images: one of the all-too familiar Cheshire Cat-like smile of Yuko Ichihara, and one of an elderly man with a beard and a pointed hat. As the two boys stepped up to Eraqus, Manta caught some of the conversation:

"The darkness is growing stronger," Master Eraqus was saying. "While I appreciate your concern, Miss Yuko, I really think we should act immediately."

"Act on what, Master Eraqus?" She demanded with an imperial air. "You can no more determine the location of the source of this darkness than I or Master Yen-Sid. Destroying the darkness that is materializing in the other worlds will be as little help as cutting the heads off the Hydra."

"Enough." The old man, Master Yen-Sid, said. "The more time we waste debating, the more time the source of the darkness has to interfere with the balance of the worlds. And with all due respect, Miss Yuko, you bringing these shamans-" -and here he gestured at Ren and Manta- "hasn't exactly maintained it."

Manta could practically _see_ the ice flying out of the glare Yuko shot Yen-Sid, but she remained silent, and Ren chose this time to speak up. "Whether or not you agree to our presence, _Masters_-" -Manta was pretty sure it was physically impossible for anyone to put any more sarcasm into the word- "- I can assure you that we have no intention of leaving, no matter who tells us to."

The two Masters looked surprised at Ren's disrespect, while Yuko didn't bother to hide a victorious smile. Yen-Sid was the first to recover.

"Very well, but how do you propose you travel between the worlds? The apprentices, and we Masters, can use our Keyblades-"

"Actually," Yuko interrupted. "I have the solution." And with a quick wave of her hand, a strange object appeared in her hand. Defying logic, she reached through the wall and held it out to Manta. He took it, and realized it was a medallion: strange swirling letters in a language Manta couldn't read were illuminated with a silver sheen. Manta took hold of the chord it was tied to and put it over his head and around his neck.

"Remember to speak very clearly when you wish it to take you somewhere." Yuko said. "And make sure you all don't get separated. Should you, then try to either find or contact one of the Keyblade wielders. They will be able to bring you back to where you are now, and hopefully contact the rest of you." And with that, she ended whatever spell she had been using to communicate. After saying their farewells, the two Masters ended their connection as well. Ren and Manta returned to the group before the platform, where Manta hastily explained what Yuko had said. While they spoke, Eraqus explained the situation to the two Keyblade wielders, mentioning beings called the "princesses of heart," and "Unversed." Lyserg, who had been keeping one ear on each conversation, made another mental note. The shamans stopped speaking when they heard Master Eraqus explain his inability to contact Master Xehanort. Like Master Eraqus, the boys worried that the two problems were connected; but Lyserg, remembering his first mental note, wondered if the connection was different than what the Keyblade wielders clearly feared, that the darkness had somehow taken Xehanort.

"I have unlocked the Lanes Between. You may use these forbidden pathways to travel between this world and countless others. The darkness looms closer than usual within these spaces, but your armor will protect you. As for you boys, I trust Miss Yuko has provided ample protection within her artifact. Lastly, remember that you must not tell anyone about the other worlds. Now go, and fulfill your duty."

The boys headed out immediately, not bothering to stop and listen while Eraqus addressed Terra. They went to their rooms to gather their weapons, and then were on their way to the courtyard when Ventus shot past them.

"Terra!"

Terra was standing in the courtyard as Ventus caught up, breathless. As Ventus started to say something, Terra patted his head and cut him off, saying "It's okay."

Then, stepping away from Ventus, Terra pressed his right fist against his left shoulder. A light surrounded him, and when it vanished, Terra was covered in red and gold armor. Making a movement with his Keyblade, lightening shot into the sky, and a portal opened. This portal, Manta noticed, was different from the one Yuko brought them in; dark blue and black, with a light blue at its center, it looked more like a star than a portal. Terra's Keyblade zoomed around the courtyard, and became a strange sort of vehicle. If they had still been in their world, Manta would have thought it was some sort of hovering motorcycle. Hopping onto it, Terra flew into the portal.

But before the portal could close, Ventus copied Terra, and summoned his own armor. Unlike Terra's, Ventus' armor was blue and green. Tossing his own Keyblade into the air, his own vehicle was summoned: a sort of hover board.

"Wait, Ven!" Running past the shamans, Aqua completely jumped over the stairs, and ran to catch Ventus. Master Eraqus ran into the courtyard as well, but too late. As everyone shouted for him to come back, Ventus zoomed off into the portal, and it closed behind him.


End file.
